European vacations are becoming increasingly popular among Indian travellers.
A new report by the European Commission revealed a significant surge in Schengen visa applications from Indian nationals, with a remarkable 43% increase in 2023 as compared to 2022.
India maintained the third position in Schengen visa applications for 2023, with a total of 966,687 filings.
As per the report, Chinese nationals have filed most visa applications for the year – a total of 1.1 million.
“China marked a comeback as the top of origin for the first time since 2018 when it was overtaken by Turkiye”, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
More than ten per cent of all applications filed for Schengen visas in 2023 were made by Chinese nationals, while Turks and Indians followed, says SchengenVisaInfo.
Moreover, the number of Schengen visa applications filed in 2023 surpassed 10.3 million, showing an increase of 37 per cent from 2022.
More Schengen visas being accepted:
A total of 8.49 million visas were issued in 2023, showing that 82.3 per cent of all applications were approved.
In 2022, the acceptance rate was 78.4 per cent, says SchengenVisaInfo.
The European Commission last month introduced a new visa "cascade" regime for Indian nationals seeking Schengen visas, allowing for more straightforward access to multiple entry visas with extended validity periods.
The Schengen area, comprising 29 European countries, including 25 EU states, offers a unique travel experience.
The following countries are part of the Schengen area: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visit/europe-trips-growing-popular-among-indians-schengen-visa-applications-surge-by-nearly-40/articleshow/110155129.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
